Orendain topples No. 1 Altiche, cops 18-U crown

MANILA, Philippines - Eighth-ranked Betto Orendain hung tough in the second set and outlasted top seed John Altiche, 6-1, 7-6(7-5), to capture the boys’ 18-and-under crown in the Philippine Sports Commission National 2010 Age Group Tennis Championships at the Rizal Memorial Tennis Center yesterday.

It was sweet revenge for the 13-year-old Orendain, who blew a first-set lead and lost to Altiche in a three-setter in last week’s finals of the first stage of the two-leg circuit sponsored by PSC headed by chair Richie Garcia.

The victory also made up for Orendain’s upset loss to Kyle Parpan in the quarterfinal round of the 16-and-under category last Monday, an event he ruled last week.

Unranked Jella Jade Capadocia also fashioned out a 6-4, 7-5 reversal over 15-year-old sister and top seed Marian Jade Capadocia to clinch the title in the girls’ 18-under class.

It was Jella Jade’s first crown with the 17-year-old knocking off No. 4 Samantha Coyiuto, who won the 18-under plum last week, and second seed Anne Castillo on her way to the championship.

Top seed Erika Manduriao made it back-to-back in the girls’ 12-under after routing Mary Rose San Jose, 6-0, 6-2. Manduriao, who walked over to the title last week, again marched to the finals when Chloe Saraza defaulted in the semis.

Sixth seed Hans Asistio barged into the final of the boys’ 16-and-under class with a 6-3, 6-4 win over third seed Juan Alfonso Opulencia. He will take on fourth seed Calvin Canlas, who eliminated Parpan, 6-1, 3-6, 6-2, in the other semis match.

In the boys’ 12-under Julian Dayrit and Mimo Tomacruz lined themselves up against each other in the final after disposing of their respective rivals.

Dayrit, the top seed, brushed aside third seed Joel Atienza, 6-4, 6-2, while Tomacruz crushed unseeded Mahmod Dimacuta, 6-3, 6-1.